Day 10: Who Wants Some Chocolate?

In all my searching all I heard about is how the shops in Brugge close on Sundays.

Knowing this, I had a plan of attack. To find as many of the 50+ chocolate shops as I could the moment I arrived on Saturday until they shut down at 6pm and then soak my poor feet in the bath tub for the remainder of the night. I expected to take a carriage tour and then a trip down the canal while snapping photos and praying I could find a patisserie or something open so I wouldn’t starve to death.

Apparently, all I had read was wrong. Lies. Vicious, evil, conniving lies. I even asked the concierge at the hotel and he confirmed all the shops would be closed. I’ll admit – I found it odd that a town that thrived on tourism would close on a Sunday but I figured it was how life used to be in Canada as a teen – when my small town would close it’s doors, bar it’s windows and have afternoon naps while kids played outside. Wrong. Totally wrong.

After indulging in a delightful breakfast with champagne (can you imagine drinking champagne for breakfast? Neither could I … until I found out it’s quite normal and I quite enjoy it! Puts me in my happy place …) I ventured outside and took a step back to see the crowds along the canal bridges. What was I thinking? How silly of me to think this town fell quiet on Sundays.

I passed shop after shop with their doors open and customers coming out with ice cream cones in hand and first thought only a small selection of shops would be open. But when I reached the Market I realized it was only a small selection of shops that were actually closed – and none of them were my chocolate shops!!! WOO HOO!

Today was a delightful day. A day that put a song in my heart and a smile on my face and filled up my cup which was quite empty. I’m ready to come home now. My goal has been reached – I feel quite spoiled, quite happy and quite ready to get back to my schedule.

But first – I had to make a stop at the Choco-Story museum. Oh yes…while on my carriage ride, I made my driver show me where it was and that was the first place I went to. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting .. but I got the story behind chocolate, how hot chocolate became so popular and even bought a ton of stuff there (quite a lot of it is for you all … I’ll be doing contests and prizes with all this chocolate stuff).

I literally fell in love with this small town. I enjoyed London and Paris, but this town … there’s something magical about it. Each street I walked down, every time I stopped…it felt right, like it was more than just a vacation to me, to my soul. I can see myself coming back here, but next time, not alone. I’d love to share with it with my husband, with my daughters, with my close girlfriends.